TREE... ROOTS... FRUiTS...

(Small) Introduction.

R-SERIES 1 (https://album.link/bz8rbc6vmfprb), is of another style than CORTEX. Bolder, more direct, more "incisive", this mini-album is built around a few tracks that are deliberately more punchy! (Both are at the forefront of a form of electronic identity as a "musical passport!”)

On the fringe of the philosophy surrounding the CORTEX project, R-SERiES serves as a forum to begin, for those interested, a simple reflection on the evolution of the electronic movement that is perplexing. R-SERiES is thus part of the continuity by bringing to light complex questions about what drives us human beings (sensitive and "emotional" organisms belonging to the great family of the Living on Earth...). Moreover, there would be so much to say, so much to write, to think, to exchange, to share on the subject. But it is clearly not here that we will begin a great psychological, sociological and cultural analysis of humanity, and it is certainly not here now that we are going to remake the world or history! (LOL) However, if everyone tried, at least as an individual, to pursue their own personal (and mental) development, it could already help to make some things happen, even on a very small scale... "Each to his own!" As in the fable of the hummingbird that spearheads environmental thinking: "Even though it knows it won't be able to put out a forest fire on its own, rather than remain frozen and helpless, a tiny hummingbird does its part by carrying what water it can hold in its beak to try to extinguish the flames!" The image is beautiful! Admit it! So, why not start here by "scratching" the subject of what makes the movement, the current, the genre or the styles "TECHNO!" Everyone, here or elsewhere, by being attentive, open, aware, alert, critical, demanding... By sharing certain values, certain ideas, by reading certain articles, by relaying certain points of view, by exchanging on social networks or among yourselves, cordially, in us, respecting you, without polemicizing or sterilizing the debates for all that! Because, even if certain oppositions are inevitable, there is no need to eat your nose! On the contrary, it is by trying to think beyond the tip of one's own nose that we will, all together, move things forward! (It all comes down to a "simple" question of "flair!" (LOL))

In short, just like the inseparable root organs of a tree or a plant this time, we should perhaps remember that electronic culture has its roots in the end of a century that was largely in crisis (already!) and whose major technological advances have made it possible to sweeten the daily life, at least for a large majority of those who have had access to it. The movement in search of legitimacy at its beginnings has since then drawn its recognition from the now dominant formats of colourful festive events on the fringes of a forced "gentrification" of its morals... Unless there is a health crisis, it is a profitable sector! (LOL) In survival mode at the dawn of its apogee, the movement will have experienced a meteoric rise on which new generations of clubbers, fans, DJs, artists and other influencers have been grafted. Not all of them, however, benefited from the financial windfall sold off by a booming industry that was booming, at least until the pandemic!

As the "scene" and "techno" culture are not immune to the current situation, perhaps it is time to sit back, look in the rear-view mirror, take a look back at the journey since the 1980s and then, perhaps, rethink and reinvent the "model" At least, for those for whom this will make sense, to change mentalities and ways of working so that the electronic "culture" rekindles the spirit that shaped it...

To meditate... (LOL)

Still in the imaging department! (LOL) I got used to it at your expense. For those of you who find it amusing... For the others... you don't have to read! (LOL)

Like the trunk of a maturing shrub, the common trunk of the early TECHNO movement has expanded in the course of development. Numerous additions have been grafted onto it, and a great many branches have grown from this tangle of trees to the universe, to the world and to today's electronic music scene. Not yet really adult, no longer quite "adolescent", for better or for worse, the globalization of the phenomenon still maturing will have followed the course of the socio-economic (and sometimes even geopolitical) histories of the different regions of the planet. To the point of merging into the mass of a system against which the movement still had reservations not so long ago! So, clearly, if we cannot deny the deleterious effects of a certain uniformity in the sector, we cannot at the same time "spit in the soup of a modernity from which we all come!" Each and every one of us is (for a good number of us...) free to think and express ourselves as we see fit... Even if it will always exist, the "what will people say" is no longer as uncompromising as it used to be... For us (privileged) as for many other human beings on the planet, modern comfort has made our lives easier! And, whatever one may say, it has indeed been "democratized"! However, for a very (too) large number of human beings on Earth, things will never have been "simple" and may never be! It is up to each and every one of us to look beyond the limits of our own horizon, to take, if not from above, at least a little distance from the dominant models, to become aware, to reflect, to think and to act accordingly, with common sense, benevolence, discernment, vigilance, openness and tolerance. For there is no dogma to defend, no daring pretension to claim: "It is up to each and every one to take their part, to look at themselves in the mirror!" Not to contemplate oneself, to please or displease oneself, to gargle, to strut or to flagellate oneself, but to observe oneself, to observe realities, to take note, consciously, knowingly, without false pretenses, without "anxiolytic" detours, and to act, to react with coherence, measure and dignity! "Dignity" of a human being who does not hide his face, who is self-determined and takes himself in hand! Nothing less, nothing more than that of a being who boasts of being "human" but who, very often, forgets the values that have enabled communities to survive in the course of evolution...

From the collective and the individuals that make it up emanates a sense of belonging. A feeling that sometimes even allows us to lift mountains! However, the strength of the mass is at the same time its weakness. For by standardizing its components, it dissolves in a certain way what gives it its strength: the individual! Moreover, it is not uncommon to shake the coconut tree, if not by a revolt within it or by shaking up the codes, but at least by raising the debate so that mentalities are brought to evolve. Indignation in the face of inequality, rejection of injustice or respect for differences are among the recurring themes of our common history. For indignation is, to say the least, part of the genes of a humanity which, despite its innumerable shortcomings, also possesses the strength to react to what provokes such strong emotions that it can only contain them by expressing disapproval, discontent or even anger as a response.

The underground current of techno before the 2000s was permeated by this atmosphere of protest, certainly rather pacifist... The revolt of some even took the form of political fights... Even if they didn't knock down barricades and generally didn't get to their hands, these rebellious spirits and "protesters" possessed much more than the energy of "despair!" On the contrary, "revolutionary hope" revealed the spirit of survival, the refusal to surrender, the willingness to believe that change was on the way. What then became of this energy? Has the world become a better place as a result? And yet, the late 20th century owed it to its contemporaries: "to promise a fairer 21st century that would reward the suffering and disappointment endured..." For those who had, or still have, the utopia of modernity has not yet discouraged them from believing in a better world. For others, reality is written in the mode of endurance and resistance, which in no way resembles a form of "reluctance to live well..." In the end, even if the two are at opposite ends of the spectrum, the future is one that we will each build through our daily actions. Also, even if we have no control over the course of things, what we do have a minimum of control over is ourselves! And this is undoubtedly where the hope lies that more "mature" individuals (humanly speaking) will be able to strengthen the bonds of communities that dare to confront the "mirror" and question themselves.

Come on! One last "round" of metaphors! (LOL)

The fruits of the tree that has grown over time sometimes raises the question of their digestibility, if not also that of their possible "toxicity!" For yes, the tree to defend itself can make its compounds indigestible! The "tree planted" by the pioneers of the techno/electro movement regularly bears fruit to the delight of its enthusiasts... Nevertheless, some of its fruits can also have a bitter taste! Of course, tastes and colours are personal and variable. However, this "bitterness", perceived or not, also reveals in some way a kind of self-defense process of the tree in question... It is a good sign then! (LOL)

Containing within it the indelible traces of its history, the tree, a highly complex "biological and symbiotic entity", is itself, if I may say so, the "fruit" of many past, present and future alliances! Also, like the plant, the early techno current still resonates vigorously under the bark of the contemporary electro scene! The hope of a possibly better "fructification" therefore remains... Only the future will tell us what it will be...

(short parenthesis)

The tree is an extraordinary living organism symbol of life, fertility, longevity, resistance and resilience! The tree is life by essence, life on a planet that would not have been the same without the contribution of this reign of the Living, for which we have very little esteem, since we unscrupulously destined it for a mass logging company that the wood sector is engaged in, which has made it much more than a lucrative "livelihood!" Destruction of habitats, ecocides, biocides, extermination of forests, replanting of feverish transgenic shrubs, unreasonable agriculture, overfishing, various forms of pollution, mass slaughter of mammals, cruelty and slavery to the animal world in general, including the "human beast!” Man has always borrowed from nature, but has never deigned to pay it back even once. It will play tricks on him! Every debt must somehow be repaid one day! Human stupidity, cultural and societal stupidity, shameless guilt of operators and industries, individual stupidity and mass bullshit! To pick up on this theme alone, the sustainable management of landscapes, green spaces, trees and forests has become a major issue as much as it feeds the deception of a political ecology guided by short-term interests that are rarely coherent as a whole.

(end of parenthesis)

The same distressing observation of all kinds of nonsense is in evidence in the cultural, arts and entertainment sector... No layer of society can escape it! The assholes and predators are everywhere! (LOL) If there were only these two categories among the population... No, no kidding, "people, with or without intentions, unsavoury" have always existed and will always exist, no further than in our entourage (professional or private). Some friendships are even toxic! However, if there is one observation that is even more worrying, it is that apart from the real pathological predators, "beasts of nature" by the way, the simplification and standardization of ways of thinking and analysis contribute to an increasing form of anaesthesia of elementary reasoning faculties. This then highlights the crying lack of depth, content, coherence or authenticity beneath the surface of smiles and policed discourse that often poorly hide the realities of the world, of individualities and clans, of journeys and stories, emotions, frustrations, fragility, fractures or rivalries... No area of human life escapes this, humanity is a web woven between the different links that make up the "behavioural" and cultural chain that defines the criteria of our belonging to the human community! Since the quests of the ego are often misleading in more than one way, the personal development of each and every one of us, systematically strewn with pitfalls, made even more complex perhaps than in the past, takes the form of a long tunnel, the end of which many will never see... All the more so because if luck is not there, it is sometimes the worst that results, for want of any other solution. The worst, moreover, being that nothing is being done by the competent authorities, the responsible bodies, the communities concerned and individuals to restore more balance and reduce disparities. Yet, nowadays, it can no longer be said that we did not know... Information is at the center of society and its organization. Digitalization has only accelerated and increased the process and its impact... In short, if we fail to do everything possible because the so-called "democratic" states are not capable of doing so : we must fully appreciate the importance of changing mentalities by systematically encouraging the sharing and coherent and benevolent use of knowledge, support in the learning process, pedagogy, teaching, coaching and remedial education, Openness, an appetite for knowledge and a "positive" education of those who will make the world of tomorrow rather than wishing that future workers be docile sheep who do not stray from the flock after having been moulded... Learning to take charge, benefiting from the tools to be able to exploit one's talents, gaining autonomy and independence are founding pillars of personal development closely linked to the nervous system, which feeds on new information and its processing... You don't need to be a great specialist to realize that the fulfilment of everyone is clearly not yet at the center of societal policies and priorities.

Expressed here in these terms, this is undoubtedly what reveals the rebellious spirit of the indignant, the rebellious spirit that lies dormant in me, in you perhaps, in the face of the quagmire in which the world and many of our fellow human beings seem to be frozen! For, after having fully exploited the "reasoned" side of a speech that aimed to lay the foundations for the discussions in progress and to come (you will have noted that "reasoned" is the first title, followed by "rebel" in R-SERiES 1), here is the "rebel" that manifests itself by putting into words the indignation that every "sensitive soul" experiences daily, if only by checking the local news. You don't even need to consult the world news to realize that next door to your home, injustices and inequalities are doing enormous damage. That's the way the world is! It has always been that way! To believe in the utopia of a perfect world, or at least a better one, is to hide from a reality that always catches up with us one day or another... Also, to be resilient, to give oneself the means to resist, To be able to endure and then to stand upright again (here's a way to "come full circle", just like the life of a tree...), to reinventoneself, is to face but also to get ready to face the following... This is how life goes! This is probably how we could translate some of the "carrying values" of the so-called "underground" movement, at least for what it wished to represent at its beginnings. All this without bitterness, nostalgia, or regret, but with respect for an ethic that does not revolve around displaying and promoting an "underground" label that contains much more than what the racoleur slogan makes it wear or would force it to "encompass!”

The "underground", if the concept still persists, is the people, the individuals, the personalities, the profiles, the qualities and the defects of a community that would be named only to distinguish "one from the other" and in this sense, by "excluding", would create a split that goes precisely against the unifying spirit of the collective! In these terms, the question is perhaps thus posed as to whether it still makes sense to claim it or to claim affiliation when the only thing that counts is the potential of individuals and what they do with it... In short: "Being oneself by assuming oneself should be enough!" No need for a "specific, honorary title", an inclusive (and therefore exclusive) qualifier at the other end... for all that! Of course, the "electronic" community is heterogeneous in nature. The distinction between people, styles, currents, approaches is therefore probably also justified. However, it is probably the abusive claim of some that is detrimental to all parties... The subject is complex!

Paradoxically, without an accent of withdrawal and without idolizing the inspirational members of the eponymous collective "UNDERGROUND RESiSTANCE", to return to the fundamentals, to the bases, to the "roots", to try to understand the intertwining and mixing of genres, to reflect on what animates the different actors of the scene both locally and globally, is also to show, in all humility, consistency in terms of movement, culture or ethics that the supposedly related imposes! The main thing lies in the capacity for permanent questioning as well as the rejection of all forms of alienation and discrimination.

If you have followed me so far, you should understand that such remarks do not pretend to fundamentally revolutionize the world or mentalities. Nevertheless, the approach aims to evoke, through metaphor, words and “decomplexed” tone, at least for a moment, conceptual parallels, positions and perspectives shared by a certain number of our contemporaries... Clearly, this is a kind of "mental" game, a questioning launched in the form of the links that can be woven between the sound or the titles of electronic music and, for example, the role of the environment and its preservation, the development of faculties, particularly "cerebral" faculties, through reflection on the meaning of artistic and musical expression and the role and scope of the "cultural" approach At least if the word "electronic culture" does not irritate the purists who protect the "Noble Arts! "(LOL)

Art and Culture are multiple, plural ... Although haloed with prestige and rigorous criteria, "making art" is not however reserved for an elite... "Dialoguing" with one's "brain", maintaining it in one way or another and trying to evolve in parallel is also an art in itself! Fun and rigor are not even incompatible in this matter! The brain itself being an artist... (by the way, read Vilayanur Ramachandran who is not a "yogi selling well-being recipes" but a neurophysiologist...

Come on, no more thinking! Stop the "blah-blah-blah" and go back to the fucking sound! (LOL)

Log in... click on "play!”

R-SERiES 1

🎧 https://album.link/bz8rbc6vmfprb

🎧 https://soundcloud.com/nms303/sets/r-series-1-ep-4-tracks

Enjoy!

Cul8ter!

nms303